Thursday, December 11, 2008

Hi - a bit more from me - Linda

What In The World Are You Putting On Your Skin?

Is your bathroom cabinet bulging with toxins? Is your make-up or toiletries bag a cocktail of chemicals that could do you harm? Yes is probably the answer to both questions. Check out the ingredients list on your bottles and jars: the higher up the list these 15 come, the greater the concentration.

Formaldehyde - Combined with water, this toxic gas is used as a disinfectant, fixative, germicide and preservative in deodorants, liquid soaps, nail varnish and shampoos. Also known as formalin, formal and methyl aldehyde, it is a suspected human carcinogen and has caused lung cancer in rats. It can damage DNA, irritate the eyes, upper respiratory tract and mucous membrane, and may cause asthma and headaches. It is banned in Japan and Sweden.

Phthalates hit the headlines last year for being "gender benders". They are a family of industrial plasticisers already banned in the EU from being used in plastic toys, but are still in hairsprays, top-selling perfumes and nail varnishes. They can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled as fumes and ingested from contaminated food or breastfeeding. Animal studies have shown they can damage the liver, kidneys, lungs and reproductive system -especially developing testes.

Parabens are listed as alkyl parahydroxy benzoates -butyll methyl/ethyl/ propyllisobutyl paraben on some toothpastes, moisturisers and deodorants. They are used as a preservative, but are oestrogen mimics. Research suggests that parabens in antiperspirant deodorants can cause breast cancer. Oestrogen-type chemicals have also been linked to testicular cancer and a reduction in sperm count.

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) is one of the major ingredients in nearly every shampoo, bubble bath, liquid soap etc. Why, when it is a known skin irritant, stops hair growth, can cause cataracts in adults, damage children's eye development and cause urinary tract infection?

Toluene is a common solvent found in nail enamels, hair gels, hair spray, and perfumes. It is a neurotoxin and can damage the liver, disrupt the endocrine system and cause asthma.

Propylene Glycol is a cosmetic form of mineral oil (refined crude oil) used in industrial antifreeze. People handling it are warned by the manufacturer to avoid skin contact and wear respirators and rubber gloves etc, and yet this is a major ingredient in most moisturisers, skin creams, baby wipes and sun screens. Why? It's cheap and gives the "glide" factor in body lotions - but is in fact robbing lower layers of skin of moisture. Lanolin and collagen also clog pores and cause skin to age faster than if nothing was used.

Talc is recognised as carcinogenic and has been linked to an increased risk of ovarian cancer and general urinary tract disorders. So don't dust it on your baby's, or anyone else's, bottom!

Parfum/perfume A typical cosmetic can contain up to 100 chemicals in the perfume alone! 95 per cent of these chemicals are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum -26 of which are on an EU hit list. Fragrances have been linked to allergies and breathing difficulties and they penetrate the skin.

Xylene is listed as xytol or dimethylbenzene on nail varnish bottles. It can damage your liver, is narcotic in high concentrations and causes skin and respiratory tract irritation.

Diethanolamine Also Tri and Mono (DEA, TEA and MEA) are absorbed through skin where they accumulate in products also containing nitrates, they react and form nitrosamines which are carcigonemic.

Aluminium is found in most deodorants and has been linked to Alzheimer's. If you want to stay alert, and still smell fresh and clean switch to a safer one.

Triclosan sometimes listed as 5-chloro-2 (2,4-dichlorophenoxy) phenol, is in deodorants, toothpastes, vaginal washes and mouthwashes. Toxic dioxins are produced during its manufacture or incineration. It is stored in breast milk and in fish, and can break down in water to create a member of the dioxin family.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Sunlight: Is It Good Or Bad For You?

(Compiled by Mike Adams, based on an interview with Dr. Michael Holick, author, The UV Advantage)

Vitamin D prevents osteoporosis, depression, prostate cancer, breast cancer and even effects diabetes and obesity. Vitamin D is perhaps the single most underrated nutrient in the world of nutrition. That's probably because it's free: your body makes it when sunlight touches your skin. Drug companies can't sell you sunlight, so there's no promotion of its health beneﬁts. Truth is, most people don't know the real story on vitamin D and health. So here's an overview taken from an interview between Mike Adams and Dr. Michael Holick.

1. Vitamin D is produced by your skin in response to exposure to ultraviolet radiation from natural sunlight.

3. It is nearly impossible to get adequate amounts of vitamin D from your diet. Sunlight exposure is the only reliable way to generate vitamin D in your own body.

4. A person would have to drink ten tall glasses of vitamin D fortiﬁed milk each day just to get minimum levels of vitamin D into their diet.

5. The further you live from the equator, the longer exposure you need to the sun in order to generate vitamin D. Canada, the UK and most U.S. states are far from the equator.

6. People with dark skin pigmentation may need 20 - 30 times as much exposure to sunlight as fair-skinned people to generate the same amount of vitamin D. That's why prostate cancer is epidemic among black men -- it's a simple, but widespread, sunlight deﬁciency.

14. The sunscreen industry doesn't want you to know that your body actually needs sunlight exposure because that realization would mean lower sales of sunscreen products.

15. Even though vitamin D is one of the most powerful healing chemicals in your body, your body makes it absolutely free. No prescription required.

On the issue of sunlight exposure, by the way, it turns out that super antioxidants greatly boost your body's ability to handle sunlight without burning. Astaxanthin is one of the most powerful "internal sunscreens" and can allow you to stay under the sun twice as long without burning. Other powerful antioxidants with this ability include the superfruits like Acai, Pomegranates (POM Wonderful juice), blueberries, etc.

Diseases and Conditions Caused by Vitamin D Deﬁciency:

· Osteoporosis is commonly caused by a lack of vitamin D, which greatly impairs calcium absorption.

· schizophrenia later in life. 81% of the children born to these mothers were deﬁcient.

· Up to 80% of nursing home patients are vitamin D deﬁcient.

What You Can Do:

Sensible exposure to natural sunlight is the simplest, easiest and yet one of the most important strategies for improving your health. I urge you to read the book, "The UV Advantage" by Dr. Michael Holick to get the full story on natural sunlight. You can ﬁnd this book at most local bookstores or through BN.com, Amazon.com, etc. Note: This is not a paid endorsement or an afﬁliate link. I recommend it because of its great importance in preventing chronic disease and enhancing health without drugs or surgery. This may be the single most important book on health you ever read. If more people understood this information, we could drastically reduce the rates of chronic disease in this country and around the world. Sunlight exposure is truly one of the most powerful healing therapies in the world, far surpassing the best efforts of today's so-called "advanced medicine." There is no drug, no surgical procedure, and no high-tech procedure that comes even close to the astonishing healing power of natural sunlight. And you can get it free of charge. That's why nobody's promoting it, of course.

Melamine remains inside the kidneys. It forms into stones blocking the tubes.Pain will be imminent and the person cannot urinate. Kidney(s) will then swell.

Although surgery can remove the stones, it may cause irreversible kidney damage. It can lead to the loss of kidney function, which will require on-going kidney dialysis; or lead to deathbecause of uremia.

What is dialysis? In fact, it should be called 'blood washing'; it is filtering all of the body's blood intoa machine and then returning the blood back to the body.

A dialysis machine

The whole process takes 4 hours; and it is necessary to have dialysis

onceevery 3 days for the rest of your life.

Below: A dialysis center

Why is the contamination much more serious in babies?

A baby's kidneys are so very smallandthey drink a lot of milk powder.

Chinacurrenty has 13,000 infants hospitalizedIt does not matter how much Melamine a human being ingested (ate) (took).

The important point is: 'MELAMINE CANNOT BE EATEN!'

5.What foods are to be avoided?

Foods from China that contain dairy products should be avoided.Remember:Anything chinese-looking and milky/creamy (as above)

Also6.Which companies are affected?

Hereunder are the companies affected with Melamine.

---------------------------------------------------------

7.What do we do next?

Avoid the above foods for at least six months.

If you own or operate a snack bar, a restaurant, or a coffee shops, etc.,

stop selling dairy products for the meantime.If you have infants at home, change to mother's milk or find other substitutes.

Finally, share this information with friends so they will understand the risk of milk poisoning.

The whole world needs to know of "Made InChina" 'black-hearted'goods.

Do you know how to tell which products are made in

theUSA, orin thePhilippines, inTaiwan,or inChina?

Here's How:

The first 3 digits of thebarcode identify thecountry code

wherein the product was made.For Example:ALL barcodes that start with690, 691, 692, etc.up to and including695areall MADE IN CHINA.Barcodes starting with471 are on products Made inTaiwan.Taiwanese barcode

You have a right to know. But government and related departments

neverinform or educate the public. Therefore we must educate ourselves,

be vigilant, andRESCUEourselves.

Today, Chinese businessmen know that consumers will not select products

'Made in China'. So, they make every effort not to show or state the country

of origin on their products.However,you can now refer to the barcode.

DO remember if the first 3 digits are one of those between 690 and 695 inclusive then it is a productMade inChina.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Hi - it is important that we try and keep our bodies as alkiline as possible to avoid many modern day diseases (including arthritis, cancers etc) - I had a test recently and was bang on even though I drink a coffee a day - so you dont have to be holier than though but be aware of your acid alkiline balance and yes get as many vegies into your body as you can!

Linda

(NaturalNews) Maintaining a balanced PH is one of the most important things we can do to enjoy vibrant health and avoid disease. Unfortunately, most people are far too acidic, which creates an environment open to unwanted invaders and ill health. The incredible rise in modern day diseases is a symptom of our overly acidic diets.

In fact, many claim it is almost impossible to get cancer when our bodies are consistently alkaline. Furthermore, eating from a list of alkaline foods keep us vibrant and younger looking.

Fortunately, becoming more alkaline is not as difficult or as technical as it sounds. Balancing our PH can be done simply by consuming more foods and drinks which have an alkaline effect on the body.

Chocolate is actually one of the healthiest foods on the earth! Research is continually proving that chocolate is actually a super food. The problem is that most chocolate has been highly processed and heated, stealing all the nutrients.

Further, Many ingredients are added to chocolate which have a negative impact on our health. Sugar, for example, destroys the immune system, and causes diabetes, premature aging and other serious health complaints. Studies show that adding milk to chocolate cancels out all of the goodness. In addition, researchers have found that commercial chocolate can be contaminated with extremely high quantities of the toxic metal lead.

You may be asking yourself what is left if you can't have milk chocolate, dark chocolate or any sort of processed chocolate. Fear not, the absolutely delicious raw chocolate is taking the world by storm. You don't need to avoid chocolate this holiday season because you can have raw chocolate.Raw chocolate is chocolate that has not gone through any sort of heating or processing, so all of the nutrients are still in tact.

So What are the Nutrients?

Chocolate contains more magnesium than any other food. Magnesium is the number one mineral deficiency in the west. It is the most powerful stress relieving mineral. It also relaxes the muscles and builds strong bones and teeth.

Chocolate is also power packed with antioxidants, which protect us from aging and disease. The following is a list of the foods with the highest ORAC values (the number given to foods based on their antioxidant activity):

Amazing! You can see that even heated dark chocolate has a high antioxidant level. Unfortunately, most dark chocolate has sugar added to it.

Chocolate is actually higher in the antioxidant resveratrol than red wine. The media have been giving red wine a lot of attention over the last few years because it is rich in this antioxidant, which is know for protecting cells from free radical damage and inhibiting the spread of cancer. It is also know to your lower blood pressure and normalize your anti-inflammatory response.

Chocolate is also rich in sulphur, which is the beauty mineral. Sulphur is essential for gorgeous skin, lustrous hair and strong nails.

Chocolate is one of the only sources of PEA, which is a compound that increases the serotonin levels in the brain, which increases joy. No wonder people are so attracted to chocolate!Yum - I am for the dark chocolate even though it is cooked! LindaMore Benefits of Chocolate

Chocolate may help prevent cardiovascular disease in diabetics because of their high levels of flavanol. Research has shown that people with diabetes that drank flavanol rich cocoa for one month showed dramatic improvements in their blood vessel function. In fact, the improvements they noticed were as high as those found in taking drugs. Chocolate is an amazing super food for keeping your heart healthy and for improving elasticity in your blood vessels.

Chocolate helps people to feel amazing. Besides PEA, the rich creaminess of chocolate has been known to boost sex drive and make us feel alive. And the good news is that it doesn't have to contain milk, sugar, aluminium, or any other ingredients that may have a negative impact on our health. Raw chocolate can be combined with other super foods so that we can indulge our sweet tooth and improve our health at the same time.

A Dangerous Call - Is Your Cell Phone Frying Your Brain?

They are both fashion accessories and an essential part of our lives. Yet since they first became widely available in the 1990s, there have been nagging doubts about just how safe mobile phones really are. Could they cause cancers in the brain? Does living near a mobile phone mast raise your risk of other cancers?

Professor Denis Henshaw, head of the Human Radiation Effects Group at Bristol University, says: "We are steeped in denial over the safety of mobile phones and related technologies." He points, as an example, to a recent Austrian study which found a raised risk of breast cancer near phone masts. "We have emission levels in the UK similar to those in Austria and yet there is no warning to people of possible dangers."

Contrast the UK position with that in other countries, where at the very least they take the approach that when it comes to this new technology, its better to be safe than sorry. The German government has taken a more cautious line over wi-fi. Last September, the German environment ministry recommended that people should keep their exposure to radiation as low as possible by replacing wi-fi with a cabled connection. Three years ago, the Vienna Chamber of Doctors put up more than 21,000 posters in surgeries and other places with very specific warnings about mobile phones, such as: "Use your phone as little as possible" and "Men - never keep a phone in your trouser pockets as it can reduce fertility."

A study last month reported that out of 360 men attending an infertility clinic, those who used their mobile the most had the poorest sperm quality. Last October, two Swedish professors pulled together the results of 11 studies involving people who had used mobiles for more than a decade and found they were 20 per cent more likely to develop a benign tumour in the inner ear, and 30 per cent more likely to develop a type of brain tumour known as a malignant glioma.Last month, the Irish Doctors Environmental Association said that the current thermal-based guidelines were clearly no longer appropriate and called on the government to "immediately start research into the non-thermal effects of exposure to electromagnetic radiation". "There is absolutely no doubt these effects exist," says Dr Andrew Goldsworthy, a biologist and expert in low frequency microwave radiation, and honorary lecturer at Imperial College in London.

"For instance, we've known for more than 30 years that electromagnetic fields affect the behaviour of calcium in living cells." He claims that this could explain the symptoms reported by people who say they are affected by pulsed microwave radiation - the sort emitted by mobile phones. "The textbook symptoms of too little calcium - such as fatigue, muscles cramps, irregular heart rhythm and gut problems - are very similar to those reported by people who say they are affected by microwave radiation," he says.

"Mobile phones and the rest aren't going to go away, but could we do more to acknowledge the possible problem so people can make an informed choice about using them and can learn to deal with the effects?"

Hi Guys - a little info about Red Cabbage - it grows easily in the garden and I slice it and put it in the salad - the colour is great!

Linda

Red Cabbage Found To Contain 36 Anti-Cancer Properties

Red cabbage contains 36 different varieties of anthocyanins, a class of flavonoids that have been linked to cancer protection, according to a new study conducted by researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Anthocyanins are naturally occurring pigments that give fruits and berries their red, blue and purple coloration. A variety of studies have shown that in addition to protecting against cancer, anthocyanins can improve heart health and brain function. Another recent laboratory study by the ARS found that some varieties of anthocyanin have twice the antioxidant effect of vitamin C. The effects of those different antioxidants in the human body have not yet been tested.

In the current study, researchers fed 12 volunteers a carefully controlled diet that contained either 2/3, 1 1/3 or 2 cups of cooked red cabbage per meal. The volunteers ate two meals per day for three days. The researchers found that participants absorbed the most anthocyanins when eating the largest serving of cabbage. In addition, they identified 36 different varieties of the chemical in the vegetable, eight more than were previously known.

Another recent study, conducted by Japanese researchers, found that anthocyanins modify the functioning of fat cells and may help fight the symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of symptoms linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, including hyperglycemia, high blood pressure, central obesity, lowered HDL ("good") cholesterol and elevated triglyceride levels.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Hi - here is an interesting report written by a New Zealaner whose children were getting sick and she investigated why - we have to question what we buy and why - do we even need a cleaner on that floor ? I mostly use water - I have so many people who come into the gardens and say they or their children are sick with cancer and they lead moderate lifestyles - this would be the reason - a constant drip of chemicals from our pillows (they contain a neuro toxin) to the makeup we put on our faces - there is alot we can do - it is about making the right choices - pick the eco tick or make your own cleaners

Did you know you can recycle aerosol containers if you remove the plastic cap!

About us

We are a group of friends who see a need to improve awareness of global and local environmental issues. We recognise that we all have differing levels of knowledge and areas of expertise and aim to live well, making small but positive changes within our families, our friends families and those in the wider global community.